The Occupy Wall Street protests

[Simon]

In this video the political activist and Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling for the police to join the Occupy Wall Street protesters. But more importantly he says the movement needs to mature into real political power.

I can only agree. The Occupy Wall Street protest (and the other protests taking place around the country) is a golden opportunity to create a real Labour party and break the democracy and climate killing two-party system in the US.

Or what do you think?

[zararina]

Seems Occupy Wall Street protesters are not active now as I am not hearing any news about them lately.

I am not from the US, are they still active? And what had been the development so far from their previous movements?

[xtinguish]

I see why they are protesting but some people join for the heck of joining. I agree there is an issue but I don't think they are taking the right approach to it. I think they should either get off their butts and get a job or actually find a productive way to approach their issues.

[Simon]

I see why they are protesting but some people join for the heck of joining. I agree there is an issue but I don't think they are taking the right approach to it. I think they should either get off their butts and get a job or actually find a productive way to approach their issues.

So what kind of approach should they take? <_<

[greenman]

I totally agree with you. The 'We are the 99%' slogan worked, it fitted with the current level of consciousness of the movement. The campaign for a mass party of labour, based on the unions, will continue to grow in the coming period. The American workers want and need an alternative to the two parties of big business and imperialism.

[Simon]

I totally agree with you. The 'We are the 99%' slogan worked, it fitted with the current level of consciousness of the movement. The campaign for a mass party of labour, based on the unions, will continue to grow in the coming period. The American workers want and need an alternative to the two parties of big business and imperialism.

The only question is when will people dare to take the first steps towards breaking the damaging two-party system that, to be honest, has a massive, almost unbreakable, foundation in America. Most people who would form and support a true and new labour party in the US are located on the left, and those people vote democrat today. So if a new party is to be formed the Democratic party must first die, or at least lose a lot of its current support. And no matter how conflicted and crazy the right-wingers are they are good at one thing: sticking together for a common goal. That would mean that during this transition the Republicans would most likely gain more power. And I guess this is what holding most people off, otherwise the Greens in the US would already be a major player in the national politics.

But then again everything is possible. And I don't think that its just people on the left that wants to break away from the two-party system. The internal fighting within the Republican party between the more traditional republicans, the neocons, and the religious fringe could easily escalate. I could easily imagine that the Tea Party movement, for example, could spring lose from the Republicans and form their own party.

People should stop to assume or even hope that the Democrats will ever take ordinary people's wishes and needs in consideration. The democratic party is just a lesser evil than the Republicans. At the moment the political system in the US boils down to a choice between the plague or cholera.

It will probably be a painful transition, but it's a transition that is very much needed.

[greenman]

It has already started, the 'Campaign for a Mass Party of Labour' (CMPL) is growing. The illusions in Obama have been shattered and the workers are starting to realise they need their own party. I have no doubt a mass labour party will be formed and gain mass popularity. The Republicans and Democrats may even merge to combat the rise of the workers' party.

[Simon]

That's interesting. Never heard of this CMPL campaign before. Do you think they have the slightest chance in our lifetime to rock the boat?